1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge guide apparatus of a swing-type portable terminal, and more particularly to a hinge guide apparatus of a swing-type portable terminal which can prevent deflection of a hinge module when the battery pack of the portable terminal is attached or detached.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the term “portable terminal” refers to a device that connects a user and a service provider, or a user and another user, through a base station, in order to provide communication functions. The portable terminal may be classified into a bar-type portable terminal, a flip-type portable terminal, a folder-type portable terminal, etc., according to its appearance.
The bar-type portable terminal has a structure in which a data input/output means, a transmitter, and a receiver are mounted to one body housing. Therefore, since a keypad, which is the data input means of the portable terminal, is always exposed to the outside, the portable terminal can malfunction. Further, there is a limit in miniaturizing the portable terminal because of the difficulty in securing the distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
The flip-type portable terminal includes a body, a flip, and a hinge module connecting the flip to the body. In the flip-type portable terminal, since a data input/output means, a transmitter, and a receiver are disposed on the body and the flip covers a keypad which is the data input means of the portable terminal, the portable terminal can be prevented from malfunctioning. However, there is also a limit in miniaturizing the portable terminal because of the difficulty in securing the distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
The folder-type portable terminal includes a body, a folder, a hinge module rotatably connecting the folder to the body, and is opened or closed when the folder is rotated in a direction in which the folder is rotated closer to or further away from the body. In the state in which the folder is closed against to the body, the portable terminal is in a call waiting mode and thus malfunction of the keypad can be prevented. Further, since the folder is opened in the talking mode, the portable terminal can sufficiently secure the distance between the transmitter and the receiver, thereby enabling miniaturization of the portable terminal. For that reason, the folder type portable terminal has gradually become the major type of portable terminals.
Recently, as tastes of users selecting portable terminals have become gradually diversified and desires of the users regarding information have rapidly increased, research and development of portable terminals has not satisfied the trend sufficiently. On the other hand, through research and development of portable terminals, a swing-type portable terminal in which a pair of housings are rotatably engaged with each other, with the housings facing each other, has appeared.
Portable terminals having various functions for satisfying desires of consumers, in addition to the original talking function, have been developed. For example, portable terminals now incorporate complex concepts like a on-demand video watching function, a screen talking function, a digital camera function, an Internet function, a TV watching function, etc., as well as the original voice talking function.
The portable terminal having a TV watching function refers to a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) terminal through which a user can watch TV programs by using a display unit.
On the other hand, when a user watches TV using a complex mobile communication terminal, a high capacity battery pack is necessary instead of a standard capacity battery pack, in order to increase the watching time.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the swing-type portable terminal 1 includes a body housing 2 to and from which the battery pack is attached and detached, a swing housing 4 which rotates about a hinge axis A1 extending vertically on the front surface of the body housing 2, with the swing housing 4 facing the body housing 2, and a hinge module 5 which rotatably engages the swing housing 4 with the body housing 2, with the swing housing 4 facing the body housing 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, the hinge module 5 of the swing-type portable terminal restricted by the body housing 2, comprises cam bosses 6a formed on one surface of the first hinge cam 6 with a same angular interval, a hinge shaft 7 located in the swing housing 4 and restricted by the first hinge cam 6, in which cam holes 7a corresponding to the cam bosses 6a are formed at one end thereof, and a second hinge cam 8 restricted by the swing housing 4, which is moved linearly and reciprocally in the direction of the hinge shaft A1 between the first hinge cam 6 and the hinge shaft 7 and is rotated with respect to the hinge axis A1, with the second hinge cam 8 facing the first hinge cam 6.
A swing plate 9, which is rotated together with the second hinge cam 8 and linearly and reciprocally moves the hinge cam 8, is provided between the hinge shaft 7 and the second hinge cam 8. Coil springs 10 for providing a resilient force so that the second hinge cam 8 is applied to the first hinge cam 6 are provided in the swing plate 9.
According to the hinge module of the swing-type portable terminal, as the swing housing is rotated from the body housing, the second hinge cam is linearly and reciprocally moved in the direction of the hinge shaft.
However, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, according to the conventional hinge module of the swing-type portable terminal, since a high capacity battery pack attached and detached to and from the body housing is thick, each hinge cam of the hinge module is deflected or is inclined to one side and thus the hinge cams cross each other, thereby generating deformation and damage to each cam.